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THURSDAY MAY 15 2014

ALTOONA CITY COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY YESTERDAY TO START THE PROCESS OF LEASING OUT THE ALTOONA WATER AUTHORITY. THE CITY IS UNDER DISTRESSED STATUS, AND THE WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS HAVE AN ESTIMATED VALUE OF UP TO 240 MILLION DOLLARS. THERE ARE, OF COURSE, QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO CUSTOMER’S RATES. COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY THEY WANT TO PUT SOME PROTECTION PLAN IN WITH WHOEVER LEASES IT OUT. MAYOR MATT PACIFICO SAYS THE LEASE PLAN WILL ALSO PREVENT A RAISE IN PROPERTY TAXES. PUBLIC MEETINGS WILL PROBABLY BE SCHEDULED.

NO CHARGES IN MISSING GUN CASE

A MISSING GUN LED TO TENSE MOMENTS AT ALTOONA HIGH SCHOOL THIS WEEK, BUT POLICE SAY NO CHARGES WILL BE FILED. A FATHER REPORTED HIS GUN AND AMMUNITION WERE FINALLY FOUND INSIDE HIS HOME. STUDENTS WERE WANDED WITH METAL DETECTORS MONDAY MORNING, BUT NO WEAPONS WERE FOUND.

ANOTHER TREE SAWED

ALTOONA POLICE SAY SOMEONE HAS SAWED OFF ANOTHER TREE…THS ONE ON LOGAN BOULEVARD NEAR MANSION PARK. OVER THE WEEKEND, VANDALS CUT TREES AT 12TH AVENUE AND 17TH STREET…UNION AVENUE AND 19TH STREET…6TH AVENUE AND UNION AVENUE. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION SHOULD CALL POLICE AT 949-24-89.

HOUSE FIRE IN JOHNSTOWN

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, FIRE GUTTED A HOME IN FRANKLIN BORO AND DAMAGED THE SIDING AND ROOF OF A HOUSE NEXT DOOR ALONG THE 12-HUNDRED BLOCK OF MAIN STREET. THE RESIDENT WAS NOT HOME WHEN THE BLAZE BROKE OUT AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A STATE POLICE FIRE MARSHAL IS INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE.

ARMED HOME INVASION

ALTOONA POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR THE 3 SKI-MASKED MEN WHO BROKE INTO A HOME ON WEST 11TH AVENUE IN JUNIATA ABOUT 11:15 TUESDAY NIGHT. ONE KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND ASKED TO USE THE PHONE…THEN 2 MORE MEN ENTERED, DEMANDING TO KNOW WHERE THE MONEY WAS, AND STRUCK THE VICTIM IN THE HEAD. THE SUSPECTS RANSACKED THE HOUSE WHILE HOLDING THE VICTIM AT GUNPOINT….TELLING HIM THEY WOULD KILL HIM IF THEY FOUND THE MONEY. THE FIRST SUSPECT IS DESCRIBED AS A LIGHT-SKINNED BLACK OR HISPANIC MALE ABOUT 5-FOOT-8, WEARING A DARK HOODED SWEATSHIRT. THE SECOND SUSPECT IS A LIGHT-SKINNED BLACK MALE ABOUT 5-FOOT-10 WEARING A GRAY HOODED SWEATSHIRT AND POSSIBLY DARK-COLORED CARGO PANTS. THE THIRD MAN IS A TALL DARK-SKINNED MALE WHO WAS WEARING A DARK HOODED SWEATSHIRT AND DARK PANTS. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION SHOULD CALL POLICE AT 949-24-89.

VEHICLE THEFT SPREE

18 YEAR OLD NICHOLAS FERGUSON OF COLVER IS IN THE CAMBRIA COUNTY JAIL AFTER HIS MOTHER CALLED POLICE AND SAID HE HAD STOLEN 2 VEHICLES FROM HER HOME. AUTHORITIES SAY FERGUSON ALSO TOOK 2 OTHER VEHICLES AND AN ATV FROM RESIDENCES IN COLVER…AND HE MAY ALSO BE INVOLVED IN OTHER VEHICLE THEFTS IN THE CAMBRIA TOWNSHIP AREA. A PRELIMINARY HEARING IS PENDING.

OFFENSIVE FLAG SEIZED

IN BLAIR COUNTY, ALLEGHENY TOWNSHIP POLICE HAVE FILED CHARGES AGAINST JOSHUA BRUBAKER, INCLUDING INSULTS TO NATIONAL OR COMMONWEALTH FLAG AND DESECRATION OF A FLAG. POLICE TELL THE ALTOONA MIRROR THEY CONFISCATED HIS AMERICAN FLAG THIS WEEK AFTER RECEIVING 2 COMPLAINTS. BRUBAKER’S FLAG WAS DISPLAYED UPSIDE DOWN WITH THE LETTERS A-I-M SPRAYPAINTED ON IT. THAT REPRESENTS THE AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT, WHICH WORKS TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF NATIVE AMERICANS. BRUBAKER SAYS HE WAS JUST EXERCISING HIS RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. A PRELIMINARY HEARING IS NOT YET SCHEDULED.

GIGANTIC NITTANY LION

A HUGE 65-HUNDRED-POUND NITTANY LION LOGO WILL BE HOISTED ONTO THE BACK OF BEAVER STADIUM’S NEW NORTH ENDZONE SCOREBOARD TODAY. ACCORDING TO THE CENTRE DAILY TIMES, INSTALLATION TEMPORARILY HALTED TRAFFIC ALONG PARK AVENUE YESTERDAY AS MOTORISTS SLOWED DOWN AND SNAPPED PICTURES OF THE SIGN. A DUPLICATE LOGO WILL ALSO BE PLACED ON THE SOUTH ENDZONE VIDEOBOARD. THE SIGNS FEATURE 14-HUNDRED L-E-D BULBS AND WILL BE VISIBLE FOR MILES AROUND. THE WORK IS PART OF THE 10 MILLION DOLLAR SCOREBOARD REPLACEMENT PROJECT.